One thing about Will Ferrell that his fans can vouch for is that he knows how to surprise. Living up to this legacy, the actor dressed up as one of the most memorable roles he has essayed, sitting in the court as if that is actually who he is.
Dressed as Buddy the Elf, Will Ferrell showed up to the Kings-Flyers game at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Sunday. The character was popular and well-received and seeing him donning the Buddy attire surely stirred the pot of memories. He was accompanied by his wife Viveca Paulin and his son Axel. The 57-year-old actor was seen enjoying his beer and smoking a faux cigarette.
Will Ferrell dressed up as Buddy the Elf for the Kings game 🏒🎄 pic.twitter.com/3eT389AHct
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) December 30, 2024
While most adored seeing Ferrell in this costume, some could not help but take a dig at it. One X user wrote, “Millennials around the world completely understand the fall off of Buddy the Elf” Another person tweeted, “An unemployed Buddy the Elf? Buddy The Elf with a drinking problem?” One more person quipped, “Buddy has clearly fallen on hard times” In the movie, Buddy the Elf comes down to New York from the North Pole to find his real father. One user jokingly wrote, “Buddy has aged horribly. It’s been a tough 20 years since he landed in NYC”
FanDuel Sports Network reporter Carrlyn Bathe present at the event added the reason why Buddy the Elf looks off the hook, joking that he had a “tough holiday season” and that “He’s looking for a Kings win.” This version of Buddy is the total opposite of what you see in the 2003 movie which spreads cheer and brings joy in the holiday season. The movie directed by Jon Favreau instantly became a fan favorite and has aged well.
Will Ferrell has a history of dressing up impulsively. Now and then, also he likes to go the extra mile to land a joke and he has regretted one such moment as well. Ferrell was once featured in drag as the eponymous attorney general in a sketch from Season 23 of Saturday Night Live. He later came to regret it.
Talking on The New York Times’ The Interview podcast, Ferrell said, “That’s something I wouldn’t choose to do now.” He explains further that it hits a false note now.
Joining him was Harper Steele who opined in agreement saying, “This kind of bums me out.” “I understand the laugh is a drag laugh. It’s, ‘Hey, look at this guy in a dress, and that’s funny.’ It’s absolutely not funny. It’s absolutely a way that we should be able to live in the world. However, with performers and actors, I do like a sense of play,” Steele added.
Will Ferrell dressing up Buddy the Elf could very well be a marketing strategy for something bigger at play. Could this out-of-the-blue appearance mean that they’re working on Elf 2? On the flip side, it could mean absolutely nothing and maybe the actor just wanted to mess with the audience.
